Aston Merrygold, 30, competed on Strictly Come Dancing with Janette Manrara, 35, last year, but in a shocking moment, the pair were voted out of the competition and came in tenth place after landing in the dance-off against Mollie King and AJ Pritchard.
The former JLS band member was one of the favourites to win the series and the star has admitted he hit out at producers for changing the show the year he wasn’t in it.
Ahead of joining the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special line-up, Aston revealed he asked the show’s bosses why they introduced the couple’s choice category a year later.
Aston admitted it was nice to be asked to come back to take to the dance floor again, a year after he was voted off by the judges.
He exclusively told Express.co.uk: “I spoke to the producers and was like if all the years you guys were going to add to the competition with couple’s choice.
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“I was like why didn’t you do it last year!”
Laughing, he continued: “So they said I can do the Christmas special.
“I’m excited to get back in the swing on things because I left a lot earlier than I wanted to, so it is what it is.”
Aston, who was out getting donations for Save the Children as part of their Christmas Jumper Day this year, said he will try to watch the Christmas special with his family today.
“I will watch as much as I can,” he said. “I think that’s definitely a big family thing, my mum loves it and this year I’m on it.”
Aston continued: “I never get the time to chill out to watch stuff and I never really watch stuff back to be honest so that’s gonna be a bit of a funny one!”
Speaking about his shock exit from Strictly Come Dancing, Aston spilled: “I can’t be bitter about it.
“They [producers] asked me to come back on the show for Christmas, I will redeem myself as much as possible.
“Hopefully the judges see the best kind of routine and not the last routine I did on the show.”
Aston will be competing in the Christmas special opposite Jake Wood, Anita Rani, Ann Widdecombe and Michael Vaughan.
The singer also said he was excited to be performing a dance on the show he hadn’t done on the series.
“It’s a good one,” he teased.”
Earlier this month, Aston wore the first world’s contactless donation jumper in King’s Cross as part of Save The Children’s Christmas Jumper Day appeal.
Speaking about why he was supporting the cause, he said: “For me even when being in JLS its really important to give back and raise as much money as possible.”
Aston is supporting Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day. Donate now at www.ChristmasJumperDay.org.